Eradicate Poverty

For the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2025, Paul Byrne collaborated with Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre to create a short film built entirely from anonymous stories shared by people living in Carlow. Funded by the Department of Social Protection, the project provided a safe and respectful way for individuals to describe their lived experiences of poverty, allowing voices that are often unheard to contribute to a national conversation. The submissions revealed a wide spectrum of realities, from daily financial pressures to moments of resilience and hope, highlighting the complex and deeply personal nature of poverty within communities.

To protect contributors while honouring their stories, the film was produced using AI-generated visuals and voices. This approach ensured anonymity while allowing the narratives to be presented with emotional depth and dignity. The final piece brought together multiple voices into a single reflective narrative, creating a powerful awareness resource that could be shared publicly without exposing individual identities. The project demonstrates how emerging creative technologies can be used thoughtfully within community-based arts practice to amplify lived experience, support ethical storytelling, and foster greater understanding of social issues.